Northwest Highlands
A good day in the Northwest Highlands, though expect a blustery wind.
Sunshine and sky
Less sunshine later. Sunshine is indicated less often later in the day.
These are direct modelled sunshine hours during daylight, not the probability of sunshine. Cloud cover and summit cloud are assessed separately in the forecast above. The regional median prevents one unusually bright or dull summit cell defining the whole area.
Overnight forecast: 17:00–08:00 (UK local time), in Wild camping below.
High-ground wind (900 m)
At around 900 m, expect a southerly wind of 20–30 mph, gusting 30–40 mph. Gusts like that are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.
Walking impact
Gusts of 30–40 mph are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.
Rain and showers
It should stay dry.
Cloud-free summits
Clear-summit estimate: about 90% early, about 90% around midday and about 80% later.
Cloud and visibility
The tops should stay mostly clear of cloud. Good spells of sunshine are likely. The air should be clear, so expect far-reaching views as long as the tops stay clear.
Temperature and wind chill
At around 900 m it will be 2 to 6°C, feeling like -4 to 0°C in the wind. Take a hat, gloves, a windproof and a spare warm layer.
Freezing level
The freezing level is close to summit height.
Daylight
Sunrise 08:02, Sunset 18:06, about 10.1 hours daylight.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaToo windy for an exposed pitch up around 900 m on some hills (gusts of about 40 mph). Lower down, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind. 39Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full regional overnight outlook
Too windy for an exposed pitch up around 900 m on some hills. Lower down, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind. Gusts reach about 40 mph around 900 m and nearer 30 mph around 300 m, which makes for a noisy, testing night even in a good tent. Check the forecast for the hill and height you have in mind, and don't assume lower ground will be sheltered. It should stay dry. Overnight lows of about 3°C at 900 m.
Moon overnight
Waxing gibbous moon
- Illuminated disc
- 63%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 00:10 next morning BST
Cloud and terrain vary across the area. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 19 Oct, 17:00 BST to 20 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Representative location: 57.369, -5.060. Times vary across the area.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 18 mph / 28 mph
- Coldest
- 5.9°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Low
- Wind / gust
- 21 mph / 33 mph
- Coldest
- 5.9°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Low
- Wind / gust
- 24 mph / 38 mph
- Coldest
- 3.4°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
Open-hillside guidance across representative hills. Local shelter, ridges, tent design and the exact pitch can change conditions substantially. Read about sleeping-bag comfort ratings, pitching in strong winds or using the wild-camping forecast.
Daytime · exposed rockClimbing & scramblingBetaGusts near 35 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 73Good · Fair View detailsHide details
Regional climbing & scrambling outlook
A broad guide to dampness and exposed rock across the area, not a forecast for every crag. Lower, sheltered crags and individual rock types may behave differently.
Conditions for exposed scrambling across the area look fair (73/100). Rock is likely to be mostly dry, though local seepage and shaded holds remain unresolved. Gusts may reach about 35 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes psammite, pelite or semipelite and sandstone or gritstone. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.
Representative summit-point samples across the region; individual crags and routes may differ.
Generic exposed hands-on-rock terrain across representative summits; mapped summit-point geology is a broad regional sample, not a named-route survey. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. How to use the climbing and scrambling forecast.
Recommended kit for this dayWeather-aware packing prompts, plus your core hillwalking kitView kit
For a day hillwalk, not a complete route-specific checklist. Carry navigation and backup you can use, warm and waterproof layers, suitable footwear, food and water, a headtorch, emergency shelter, first aid and a way to call for help. Snow, ice, technical terrain and overnight trips need additional equipment and skills.
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Weather data: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Mountain Weather.
Updated 15 October 2026 at 15:29 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Northwest Highlands.